God with us

What happens when troubles come?

Where do we turn? How do we cope? And who will be there to support us in times of trial?

Sometimes the question is mainly theoretical. When things are going well and troubles are far away then the issue's academic.

But most of us find it doesn't ever stay that academic all that long.

I was with someone last night who was talking in just these terms. She's not had her troubles to seek and we ended up chatting a bit about this.

How she's helped and supported through trials and pressures and pain. How important it is that there's someone she knows will be there. Whenever the need should arise.

We're trying to ensure that that is the case for everyone here. A reminder, in tangible, physical form - a reminder that God's always there. It's something we're really working at these days.

And, of course, I'm not exempt myself from all of this!

There's a 'chaplain' appointed to be there for me. Periodically the chaplain will call. And today was the day.

It's a new 'chaplain'. A lady called Myra. It was good to meet her and see her and good to be able to talk.

She wondered if I valued my having a chaplain. My reply was 'yes' and 'no'. On a scale of 0-10 I'd have given an answer of 5.

'No', because I find myself supported and encouraged by a range of people here. My 'pastors' in their varying ways. I value their care and the ministry all of them bring in their watch over me.

But 'yes', because it's good to know there is, indeed, someone 'out there', a kind of safety net, should all else fail.

'You, O Lord, are with me'.

That's a pretty standard line the writer of the Scripture songs adopts. That's our fall-back position.

The 'bottom-line', a rock-bottom truth when you hit the wall and reach rock-bottom in the face of life's adversities. It's then, above all else, we need to know, there's someone there. The Lord.

'You, O Lord, are with me'.

It's that great truth we want to ensure that people can experience. And most times that means someone physically there. A person who, in this respect at least, embodies God himself.

That's why I try to take the time to call on folk. A tangible reminder of the presence and compassion of the Lord.

I was doing that again today. Calling by on different folk, mostly in the aftermath of sorrow and the anguish of bereavement that they've known in recent weeks.

I hope they got the message. There's a God who cares.

A God who's always with us in the darkest times, as well as when life's good.